Saint-Gobain wins “European Cleantech Corporation of the Year” award

Saint-Gobain wins “European Cleantech Corporation of the Year” award
Business Wire
PARIS -- April 18, 2013
Saint-Gobain received the “European Cleantech Corporation of the Year” award
at the 9^th European Cleantech Forum in Bilbao (Spain), organized by
Cleantech Group, a global network that brings together investors, start-ups
and industrial groups in the area of green technology. This award singles out
a company for its significant action to promote innovation in green technology
and environmentally friendly products and services.
Saint-Gobain was selected for its sustainable habitat strategy, for continuing
its strategic investments in 2012, and NOVA External Venturing’s contribution
to speeding up innovation. Tasked with identifying start-ups and encouraging
partnerships with Saint-Gobain Activities, NOVA’s international team promotes
a culture of innovation that embraces the world outside Saint-Gobain.
“We were struck by Saint-Gobain’s consistent approach to cleantech innovation,
underpinning its sustainable habitat vision, as shown by the gradual growth in
new products as a percentage of its sales,” explained Richard Youngman,
Managing Director for Cleantech Group in Europe. “In 2012, despite a tough
economic context, its commitment to sustainability, innovation and energy
efficiency prevailed, with notably the acquisitions of Celotex and Sage
Electrochromics, and the running of the 4^th NOVA Innovation Competition.
Beyond this competition, the NOVA team has progressively encouraged the
building of a trueecosystem gathering together the world of start-ups and
investors, to rise to tomorrow’s technological challenges.”
The award was presented at a gala dinner on April 17 to Armand Ajdari, R&D
Vice President, Saint-Gobain Innovative Materials. “This award recognizes the
Group’s successful efforts to open up its innovation policy to the outside
world through partnerships with start-ups and its cooperation with prestigious
universities and laboratories,” said Ajdari. “More broadly, it honors the
style of management promoted by the Group’s senior executives: a community of
united entrepreneurs, committed to providing their customers with innovative
solutions in all its business areas.”
More about Saint-Gobain
Saint-Gobain, the world leader in the habitat and construction markets,
designs, manufactures and distributes building materials, providing innovative
solutions to the challenges of growth, energy efficiency and environmental
protection. With 2012 sales of €43.2 billion, Saint-Gobain operates in 64
countries and has nearly 193,000 employees. Saint-Gobain was ranked among the
world’s 100 most innovative companies by Thomson Reuters in 2012. For more
information about Saint-Gobain, please visit http://www.saint-gobain.com.
More about NOVA External Venturing
NOVA External Venturing examines how projects coming from innovative start-ups
can be implemented faster by leaning on the industrial and commercial assets
of Saint-Gobain, for the greatest benefit of each partner. NOVA serves as a
unique interface for start-ups and helps create and develop links with all
Group activities worldwide. Since 2006, NOVA has launched about 60
partnerships with start-ups. For more information about NOVA External
Venturing, please visit http://www.saint-gobain.com/en/nova.
Contact:
Saint-Gobain in France:
Susanne TRABITZSCH: + 33 (0)1 47 62 43 25
or
Saint-Gobain in Spain:
Azucena ROJAS: + 34 91 397 24 27
or
Saint-Gobain in North America:
Dina SILVER POKEDOFF: 610-341-7031
or
Saint-Gobain in Germany:
Regina DECKER: + 49 241 516 25 04
or
Saint-Gobain in the United Kingdom:
Allyson POAD-HINDLE: + 44 24 76 56 07 23
or
Saint-Gobain in China:
Nicolas NIE: + 86 21 63 61 87 00
or
Saint-Gobain in India:
Bharti SANJAY: + 91 99 52 96 33 98